Ford Mondeo Estate
2.0 TDCI (150) Titanium
Years: 2014 to date Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 148bhp Insurance group: 23 Official economy/co2: 57.7mpg/128g/km Why? The Mondeo looks sharper than before, but it fails to match its rivals for practical touches or driving enjoyment.
Prices from: £10,475
IN previous generations, the Ford Mondeo had set the bar in the family car class for handling, but the latest model leans more towards comfort than driving thrills.
The bold grille, slender headlights and long bonnet combine to give the Mondeo real presence, which is helped by the fact that it’s the largest car here. However, Ford’s claimed boot capacity of 500 litres is 150 litres down on the Volkswagen Passat’s and 22 litres on the Mazda, plus there are no novel touches to make the most of the space on offer. With seats down it trails the the Mazda by 43 litres and the Passat by a massive 175 litres.
Elsewhere, the rear seats are relatively roomy, and there’s some decent storage up front, but the VW offers more space, especially in the back, while there’s a better driving position in the Mazda.
The Mondeo doesn’t have a reputation for being unreliable, but some owners have reported a few electrical problems with this version. It also came in 129th place in our 2016 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, which is a rather poor showing for its debut.